


Solidarity

by et_byad



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Comfort, Gender Dysphoria, Other, Pre-Relationship, baby lucien is a good boy, robert is the best ally
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-11 21:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16860676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/et_byad/pseuds/et_byad
Summary: It’s been 2 years since Damien first came out publicly, 1 Year since he went on hormones, and he’s still trying to adjust to everything. When he paints his nails on a whim the day before Lucien goes back to school for 5th grade, he decides he needs some backup and calls on Robert. He learns that day what a true friend really is.





	Solidarity

“ _Robert, I have made a grave mistake._ ”

The panicked tone caused Robert’s heart to leap into his throat, fear digging its claws into the back of his neck as he gripped his phone tighter.

“Woah, Dames, what happened? Are you okay? Do you need me to come over? Are you hurt? Is Lucien okay?”

The barrage of questions only stopped when Robert heard a quiet sniffle from the other end of the phone. He remembered that Damien got overwhelmed easily and he eased up on the questions, repeating his second one again and leaving it at that. After a few seconds of shaky breathing, he finally got a response.

“ _I don’t know..._ ”

Robert let out a hissing breath, throat tight at the thought of Damien not being okay, “tell me what happened, Dames.”

The calmness with which he spoke allowed Damien to keep his cool, “ _I painted my nails._ ” 

The voice was a soft mumble, clearly embarrassed, though Robert wasn’t too sure why. All he knew was that he wanted to hug and strangle Damien at the same time for making him worry like that. God, he thought maybe Lucien had accidentally gotten hurt! Or Damien was dying! Something worthy of the heavy tone. Though he stopped these thoughts quite quickly. For one thing, it was Damien, drama was always sure to be present. And for another, he knew it wasn’t his right to say what was and wasn’t worth Damien panicking over, especially since he was starting to get the feeling this “problem” had something to do with him being trans. Robert tried his best to understand why certain things were more sensitive to Damien than to a cis guy like himself, but sometimes he just didn’t get it. But, hey, for Damien he was willing to learn.

“Hey, Damien, listen to me. It’s alright. Whatever is wrong, we can fix it, okay? Just... explain to me why that’s a problem?” Robert talked like he was soothing a wounded animal, and he was relieved to hear Damien’s voice losing the fear and tension as he spoke.

“ _Well, I thought it would be nice to paint my nails. I missed doing it and everything. But... Lucien’s first day of fifth grade is tomorrow and we are walking there together and,_ ” he paused to take a breath, “ _I do not want the other parents to say anything about his dad having painted nails. I mean, my hair is already getting longer and now my nails are painted, and I just... I do not want them to misgender me or tease Lucien. I just want to be **normal** for him, but... that is not **me**._”

A sad smile rose to Robert’s lips as he listened. Damien was too good for his own good. Too concerned about his son to worry about his own happiness. Oh god, did he wish he could just hold Damien close, protect him wherever he went. How he wished he could protect him from the mean words and harmful glares of bigots. Damien was too good for this.

“Hey, _hey_... come on, Lucien loves you just the way you are. He loves you for you. Remember how happy he was when you said you were growing out your hair? He’s a kid, kids say mean things. If they don’t tease him about you it’ll be about something else. He’s strong, and I taught him to do a pretty solid right hook, he’ll be fine,” despite the joking tone, Robert _had_  in fact taught Lucien to throw a decent punch, “think about it. What if he wants to paint his nails but he doesn’t because he doesn’t think boys can? And what if seeing you gives him the confidence to? You clearly _want_  your nails painted, so screw what everyone else thinks and go with it.”

The soft laugh from the other end of the line warmed Robert’s heart, “ _Thank you, Robert. You truly do have your own unique way with words_ ,” he gave a sad sigh, “ _but I still worry. I don’t know if I could handle hearing the other parents whisper._ ”

Robert thought for a moment, “well, what if I walked with you? I kinda wanna see Lucien off to his first day of his last year of elementary school anyway. I got him a little gift.”

“ _Robert_ ,” god, the way Damien said his name, drawing out each syllable in breathless wonder, made him feel like nothing in the world could ever go wrong, “ _thank you_.”

“Hey, it’s - uh - no problem. Anything for a friend,” _fuck_ , why had he said that?

“ _Of course. You’re a good... friend,_ ” Damien’s voice was quiet and unreadable, “ _we’ll leave at 8:30._ ”

“Great. Uh, see ya.”

Robert hung up the phone and closed his eyes, cursing to himself softly. Why had he said it like that? Reestablishing his position as a friend made it even less likely that lovely, oblivious Damien would realise his feelings. Because he couldn’t just _say_  them. No, that’d be gross and cheesy. _Why_  was he so bad at this whole romance thing?

* * *

The next morning found Damien and Lucien rushing around the house. Robert had been unusually astute the night before, as the moment Lucien saw his father’s nails, he’d spent half an hour refusing to eat breakfast until Damien promised to help him do the same for himself after school. Once he’d finally agreed and gotten Lucien to eat his food, it was just a matter of the two getting dressed and packing up a lunch for Lucien. By the time Robert rung the doorbell, father and son were ready to head off to school.

Lucien - the spitting image of Damien, only smaller - opened the heavy door with a little trouble, smiling brightly up at him. Robert was standing with a lazy grin, hands behind his back, clearly holding Lucien’s present.

“Good day, Mr. Small!” Lucien chirped happily, rocking back and forth on his heels in excitement, “you are coming to school with us?”

Robert chuckled and nodded, reaching a hand out to ruffle Lucien’s hair, “you bet, kiddo. Hey, I got you something,” he pulled out a rather sharp nail file and handed it over, “I’m pretty sure they’ve banned knives from schools, so take this instead.”

“ _Woah_! Thank you, Mr. Small!” Lucien’s eyes were wide as he snatched the present and stuffed it into his backpack, looking around to make sure his father hadn’t seen.

Luckily for them both, Damien was just coming from the kitchen, hair clipped back a bit as it hadn’t yet grown long enough to tie, Lucien’s lunch bag in hand, “Robert! Lovely to see you. Lucien, you nearly forgot your lunch.”

Lucien took the bag with a smile and tucked it into his backpack as well, “ready to go, Mr. Small?”

Robert nodded, reaching down a hand for Lucien, who took it happily. Damien stared for a moment, eyebrows furrowed and expression unreadable.

“Robert... did you... ?” his voice was soft as he stared at Robert’s hands.

Lucien looked down as well and smiled widely, “oh, they look great! Dad said he will do mine for me after school today.”

Robert looked down at his nails, clumsily painted a rather bright shade of red, and he shrugged, “yeah, your dad has a good eye for style, so... if he thinks it looks good,” he shrugged again and Lucien accepted the answer.

Damien looked like he might cry, biting his lip and staring intently at Robert’s hand, “oh Robert...”

“Come on, we don’t want Lucien to be late,” Robert said quickly, wanting to distract Damien. He knew how much the other hated crying, especially in front of his son.

Damien composed himself and nodded, a bright smile on his face as he took Lucien’s other hand. The three began their walk to school, Damien and Robert occasionally swinging Lucien between them to make him laugh. It wasn’t a very far walk, but Damien’s steps slowed a bit as they approached the front of the school. Parents milled around, watching their kids go off to their assigned classrooms and silently - or sometimes rather loudly - judging each other. At a reassuring smile from Robert, Damien brought Lucien to the front of the school, getting down on one knee to accept a hug from his son.

“Have a wonderful day at school, Lucien. Remember your manners.”

“I promise to be good, dad,” Lucien broke the hug to wave and run off towards the swarm of students, pausing half way there to look back and call over his shoulder, “do not forget, you promised to paint my nails tonight!”

Damien smiled fondly and nodded, waving to his son. The moment Lucien was out of sight, he became acutely aware of the few parents staring at him and the whispers. His shoulders tensed and he clenched his jaw, willing himself not to care. It didn’t work. He balled up his fists, trying his hardest to hide his darkly coloured nails from view as he walked back to Robert. Without a word, Robert reached down and grabbed his hand, prying Damien’s fingers apart before lacing them with his own. He gave Damien’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

“They’re all just jealous that the hottest guy in town came with you,” he whispered with a grin and a wink.

Damien flushed and laughed softly, ducking his head a bit in embarrassment, “they are wondering why you are spending time with someone so odd.”

“Well, they can fuck off. I think you’re great,” Robert replied, giving his hand a gentle tug, “come on, let’s go home.”

Damien uncurled his other fist and nodded, walking back towards home, hand in hand with Robert. It was... nice. Robert’s hands were big, and rough, and warm and it just felt _right_. Ignoring the little fluttering in his stomach, Damien smiled over at Robert, receiving a smile in return. He felt much more confident being in public with his nails painted now. But... maybe he’d not mention that to Robert for a little while. It was a good excuse to hold his hand. Platonically, of course.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow my [writing blog](https://et-byad.tumblr.com/) maybe?


End file.
